Booting a Live USB Aspire 1

Sideburns
Sideburns Member Posts: 9

Tinkerer

edited January 2022 in Aspire Laptops
My sister recently bought an ACER Aspire 1 laptop and wants me to replace Windows with Xubuntu.  I have a working USB to do it from, but I've not used Windows in over a decade and can't find a way to get into CMOS to change the boot order.  Please give me a pointer to instructions that don't assume I'm familiar with Windows because I'm not.

Thread was edited to add model name to the title


Answers

  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,065 Trailblazer
    edited January 2022
    Sideburns said:
    My sister recently bought an ACER Aspire 1 laptop and wants me to replace Windows with Xubuntu.  I have a working USB to do it from, but I've not used Windows in over a decade and can't find a way to get into CMOS to change the boot order.  Please give me a pointer to instructions that don't assume I'm familiar with Windows because I'm not.

    Thread was edited to add model name to the title


    The Aspire one with Win-10 the BIOS can be got to internally at Recovery > then press "Restsrt Now" or the F2 key to be pressed just after boot begins to get into the BIOS as that is the default way, also make sure that the USB that you are using is working and can boot from windows as that is allot of the causes for things not to work.
  • Sideburns
    Sideburns Member Posts: 9

    Tinkerer

    I don't know what you mean by "internally at Recovery," but I do know that pressing the F2 key on this laptop during either a cold boot or restart doesn't work; it just gets ignored.  And, I know that the USB works because I've booted other computers into Xubuntu using it but never from inside Windows.  In fact, I've no idea what that means.  Thanx for the suggestion, and if you have any further ideas I'd appreciate them.
  • ttttt
    ttttt Member Posts: 1,947 Community Aficionado WiFi Icon
    @Sideburns

    If you want to reach BIOS and it didn't work with F2 key, then how about hold down the Fn key and keep tapping the F2 key three times a second when bootup? Or keep tapping the delete key when bootup.

    If you want to boot Linux USB flash drive, changing the boot order is NOT a MUST. You can try getting to the Bootmenu.

    When bootup, keeping tapping the F12 key ( or hold down the Fn key and keep tapping the F12 key), you should be able to reach the Bootmenu. From there you can see your bootable Linux flash drive. Highlight it and hit Enter key to boot.

    Things to pay attention:

    1) In BIOS, set the SATA mode to AHCI ( not RST-Optane) if possible.

    2) In BIOS, set the Secure Boot option to Disable, if possible.

  • Easwar
    Easwar Member Posts: 6,727 Guru
    Hi @Sideburns,

    How to Change the Boot Order
    1. Step 1: Turn on or Restart Your Computer. ...
    2. Step 2: Enter the BIOS Setup Utility. ...
    3. Step 3: Find the Boot Order Options in BIOS. ...
    4. Step 4: Make Changes to the Boot Order. ...
    5. Step 5: Save Your BIOS Changes. ...
    6. Step 6: Confirm Your Changes. ...
    7. Step 7: Start the Computer.
  • Sideburns
    Sideburns Member Posts: 9

    Tinkerer

    I know how to deal with the BIOS, I needed to find out how to get into it.